You’ll Have to Call in Sick From Busting a Gut Over These Lame Excuses When Calling in Sick to Work

We know it’s a shock – not everyone is really feeling under the weather when they call in sick to work.

A new survey has found that 32% of workers call in sick even though they’re actually feeling fine. It seems we want to save our coveted sick days to play hooky because 30% of workers admit going to work when they truly do feel yucky so they can use their sick days when they’re healthy.

If you're going to call in sick, make sure you cover your bases. Thirty percent of employers say they follow up with their underlings to make sure they really are ill, by asking for a doctor’s note, calling on the phone or looking through their comments on social media. Sixteen percent have fired someone for lying about being sick.

With the holidays coming faster than a head cold after going outside with a wet head, companies should expect the available work force to thin out like Jessica Simpson's post-pregnancy body. Thirty percent of bosses say they see a boost in sick days in December. Nineteen percent of employers claim it’s the most popular month to call in sick, with January (16%) and February (15%) trailing.

Even if you do call in sick, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re off the clock: 20% of workers who’ve called in sick during the last year did work at home.

So, if you do call in sick, it’s good to have a believable excuse ready to go. Here are some outrageous reasons employees actually told their employers when it comes to why they can’t make it to work:

Employee’s false teeth flew out the window while driving down the highway

Employee’s favorite football team lost on Sunday so needed Monday to recover

Employee was quitting smoking and was grouchy

Employee said that someone glued her doors and windows shut so she couldn’t leave the house to come to work

Employee bit her tongue and couldn’t talk

Employee claimed a swarm of bees surrounded his vehicle and he couldn’t make it in

Employee said the chemical in turkey made him fall asleep and he missed his shift

Employee felt like he was so angry he was going to hurt someone if he came in

Employee received a threatening phone call from the electric company and needed to report it to the FBI
Employee needed to finish Christmas shopping